A case for portable electronic device has a set of substantially rigid opposing faces mounted on a hinge that fold together to enclose the device. An internal electrical connection between the device and the case is used to provide an electrical access point on the exterior of the case. The external electrical connection is accomplished through a passive electrical connector positioned on the hinge that holds the opposing faces together. Additional active electronics and batteries may also be positioned in the hinge such that the case can be operationally linked with the device contained in the case. Since many portable electronic devices are dimensioned to be carried in pockets or purses, limiting the size of a protective carrying case can be crucial to gaining consumer acceptance. The case is particularly well adapted for use with a digital music player.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A case for a portable digital music player, said case comprising: a pair of opposing case faces constructed from a substantially rigid plastic or metal connected with a hinge portion wherein said opposing faces are adapted to fold together to removably enclose said portable digital music player between said opposing faces; an opening in one of said opposing faces wherein a display for said portable electronic device can be viewed though said opening; an internal electrical contact comprising an audio input on one of said opposing faces such that said internal electrical contact engages an audio output port of said portable digital music player when said portable digital music player is enclosed within said opposing faces; and an external electrical contact comprising an audio output on an end of said hinge portion wherein said external electrical contact is electrically connected to said internal contact such that said audio output of said portable digital music player can be accessed through said external electrical contact.
2. The case of claim 1 wherein said case further comprises an FM transmitter for broadcasting a signal received from said portable digital music player to a remote receiver.
3. The case of claim 1 wherein a battery for said case is contained in said hinge portion.
4. The case of claim 1 wherein said case includes a case microprocessor for communicating with a device microprocessor such that a function of said portable digital music player can be controlled by said case microprocessor.
5. A case for a portable electronic device, said case comprising: a front and back face connected by a hinge such that said front and back face can fold together to enclose said portable electronic device; an electrical contact positioned on one of said front and back faces wherein said electrical contact electrically connects an audio output port of said portable electronic device to an audio output port of said case positioned on said hinge; and a transmitter for receiving a signal from said portable electronic device and transmitting said signal to a remote receiver; wherein said hinge further comprises a backup battery that provides power to said portable electronic device when said device is positioned in said case.
6. The case of claim 5 wherein an outside dimension of said case is substantially the same as an outside dimension of said portable electronic device.
7. The case of claim 5 wherein said electrical contact enables communication between a device microprocessor and a case microprocessor such that a function of said device can be controlled by user input positioned on an exterior of said case.
8. A case for a portable digital music player, said case comprising: a front face and a back face connected with a hinge such that said front face and back face fold together to enclose said portable digital music player within said case; an electrical contact wherein said electrical contact receives signals from said portable digital music player when said portable digital music player is enclosed within said case; and an exterior port comprising an audio output that provides access to an audio output signal produced by said portable digital music player positioned on an end of said hinge of said case; wherein a height and width of said case is substantially the same as a height and width of said portable digital music player.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
March 14, 2006
June 29, 2010
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